The weekly messenger. [volume] (St. Martinsville [i.e. St. Martinville] La.) 1886-1948, 1887-02-05

Captain Hitchcock that, with his per.
mission, he won d oier prayer. or
course it was gwen at once. And
never, in all my life, said Captain
Hitchcock, heard a more beautiful
prayer from the lips of mortal man.
And ~ he sad ''amen,' and l said
''amen TOO, ia;sed my eyes and saw
your sail
"Perhaps," laid Captain Raymond TO
his group of Ii teners-''perhaps YOU'D
Ike to know the name, Of those two pas
sengcrs! They are familiar 20 you all,
and you'll find them at the bottom uf
this letter, which received, with sill
yer pitcher. n few d vs. after we reached
New York. l haven't seen it for some
time. until it turned up to-day while |
was ovcrhaulng nv desk. It is an old
letter. you see, and was written before
the envelope WAS invented"
The letter was passed around and
handled with great care. 1t was then
read aloud by one of the group, and
ran as follows:
NEW YORK, December 2S, 1874.
"DEAR SIR: Dts.roIs Of testifying our
grateful sense OF the noble disinter, ste lneSs
the Eth of Iecemler last in arch of the
,autain, pas, n GERS and crew OF the ship
\ albanian, which fGunlerel On that day at
sea- and of the hi ldnesS we received at your
hands who yoIr guests, we beg your ac-
ceptance Of the acc m anyinS piece of pla!e
I'VE know that no Offering OF ours can
aid TO the proud feeling of satisfaction
viii Ia must have animated your bosom when
unon your own de'k You saw the eighteen
human beings whose lives you had saved /;
but we wish you to possess some slight token
which in after-dayS may serve 10 remind
your children an your fl. ends OF how molly
Won did your duty to your God AMI your
I fellpw-meu: and We Ge,ire that other ship
masters, incitel as well by their own humane
/ i'm; ulses as by the appreciation VIII CHI so no
BILE an a t never fails to a down from the
public, may go and do likewise
"ln conclusion. we congratu ate you upon
the opportunity you have enjoyed OF graft
| flying the most 'ncrous prom tngs OF the
soul we pray tnat Heaven may shower ITS
choicest bies5.n uTon you and yours. and
we beg yoI to be assured OF the lasting graft
| tude OF, very truly, Your friends,
| edward COOPER, I pos.,noa-s
"ABRAM s HEWITT, o
ITO Cartain George b. Raymond, Of the
ship Atlanta, of New Yors.'
~ day or two after receiving and an
swering this letter." sud Captain Ray
mord, Il received an invitation to go to
Mr.. ctr Cooper's house, as the family
was vefv desiruus of seeing me. ] was
so busy with the affairs of my ship that
( l could not respond at oncc. but sent
word that | W iuld call on New Years
| Lay. When | called, and my name was
announced. they did not wait for me to
90 into the parlor, but all came out into
! 4 1, to ho l,1 nd
around me, and assure you it WAS
rather embarrassing for q young sca-doo
to receive so much attention. had
done noth'n M more than my duty, and
somehow felt that was being tn mixed
and praised a good deal b,yond what
mcrited. | tried to tell them 81, but they
wouldn't listen to me, and all the time
W there they made sgch a hero Of mt
that didn't know whit to say, and
wondered how | would be able to es
cape.
"None of the Cooper or Hewitt family
have ever forgotten me, but, on tn,
contrary, they miss no opportunity o.
referring to that incident of the 18TH o.
December. When the otos Club CAV,
a dinner to Mayor Cooper wanted te
come as much as ever wanted to d.
anything in all my life. and | thought
would do SO: but don't like to be called
up for a speech. and knew that Hewitt
or Cooper would be sure to have me on
and make me say something; SO staye(
away. and saved the club from listen n:
to the story of the loss of the Aisddmian.
''If you had told that story as you have
told it now" sail one of the listeners
"you woald have made one Of the mos
effective speeches ever made at a Dime
party"
$50 say we oil. "-Karper'S Weekly.
NJ T.. L.